This document provides a summary of the winter 2013 sermon series from a church. It discusses Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist and hearing God say he is his son. It then describes Jesus being tested in the wilderness for 40 days. The summary discusses Jesus beginning to preach and calling his first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John, who were fishermen. They immediately followed Jesus, leaving their boats and father. The series will focus on Jesus affirming his identity and mission, his testing in the wilderness, and recruiting his early followers.

1. The Author
Winter 2013 Sermon Series
www.ebcla.org
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2. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Hebrews 12:2
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3. Affirmation & Acceleration
Mark 1:9-20
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4. 12-13 At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild.
Mark 1:9-11 For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan.
At this time, Jesus Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.
came from Nazareth
in Galilee and was 14-15 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching
baptized by John in the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change
the Jordan. The your life and believe the Message.”
moment he came
out of the water, he 16-18 Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon
saw the sky split and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular
open and God’s work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind
Spirit, looking like a of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and
dove, come down women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions.
on him. Along with They dropped their nets and followed.
the Spirit, a voice:
“You are my Son, 19-20 A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers
chosen and marked James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat,
by my love, pride of mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer.
my life.” Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the
hired hands, and followed. 4

5. As the cool water of the Jordan River flooded over his face,
Jesus wasn’t so much entrusting himself to The Baptist’s
strength as he was to his Father’s. He’d given thirty years to
arrive at this place. But even as he was savoring this, he felt
himself being lifted up.
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6. Affirmation
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7. What a rush! Wow! “My dad loves me and is proud of me!”
But with the world still desperate for a Savior, the Spirit led
newly-affirmed Jesus into the desert wilds. Once there, His
clothes quickly dried out and his trust in his Father was
severely tested.
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8. Testing - 1 - 2 - 3
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9. Jesus knew that he’d need more than angels and wild animals
at his side now. The Baptist had ticked off King Herod Antipas
and gotten tossed in the slammer, so he was no longer
around. Time to recruit some early adopters to a new life of
downward mobility.
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10. Backstory
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11. Early Adopters
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12. A perfectly good, fully equipped fishing boat.
A puzzled father with a boatload of deckhands.
All left on that lake shore because the King of kings had
dropped by with an intriguingly urgent invitation.
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13. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Hebrews 12:2
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